Becoming a vegan is easier than you may think when you make the conscious effort. It's about practice, not perfection. Just start by doing your best with increasing the amount of plant-based foods on your plate, and by repetition, you'll reach your goal.

Here are some reasons why you might consider a switch to a plant-based diet:

1. The age-old question: Do you really know what's in your food? You're innocent to the ignorance of agribusiness which has been described by John Robbins as an "animal Auschwitz" in his 1998 book Diet for A New America. If you only knew how your food is raised and the horrific way the animals are treated, you would reconsider. It's hard to understand why so many people that eat the Standard American Diet (SAD) do not keep an open mind to a healthier way of eating even if the scientific research warns them.

Yes, eating this way exists in many cultures so it's a matter of getting beyond this conditioning to open one's mind.

2. A higher quality of life and visible longevity. We invest in so many ways - stock market, real estate, Roth IRAs - so, how do we invest in our health? It isn't about how long you live, it's more about how you feel as long as you live.

3. Having digestion issues? Animal and dairy products take a longer time to digest. Meats in particular take up to 72 hours to digest fully because of high fat and protein content whereas plant-based foods give you more energy since all the energy isn't going into digestion. Oprah's favorite doctor, Dr. Oz, also a vegan said "A steak dinner can take you two, maybe three days to get out of your intestine. What that means is the way you digest it is basically to rot it in your intestines. On the other hand, if you eat vegetables and fruits, they're out of your system in less than 12 hours."

Vegan diets have the benefit of more fiber which helps digestibility.

4. A plant-based diet may not be for everyone. It may only be for those who would like to do their best to prevent heart disease and cancers. I'll tell you what: Do a Google search for "harms of animal and dairy products" and do your own research. I believe everyone should choose what dietary lifestyle is best for them. I can't impress upon the importance of doing the research, however, before you choose what you eat.

5. Dairy isn't as safe as it sounds. Dairy cows are force-fed for weight gain, kept pregnant all the time, not allowed to bond with their calves, fed hormones and antibiotics…let's face it there's just nothing natural or humane about how factory farm animals are treated and raised. Dairy products leach calcium out of the bones because they are too high in protein. Dairy products also contain Casein, a milk protein scientifically documented as cancer-promoting in the book The China Study. This book should be in every medical library across the nation.

6. Phytochemicals. What are those, you ask? Phytochemicals are
plant-produced compounds (commonly known as antioxidants and flavanoids)
that play a role in preventing cancers, heart disease, diabetes and
high blood pressure, according to the American Cancer Society. Phytochemicals are present in whole plant-based foods.

With all the Mickey-Mousing of foods today, one has to really stay on top of what foods are, in fact, healthy! You're quality of life may depend on it!